Advertising-display apparatus.



C. J. COOKE.

ADVERTISING DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 2a, 1911.

1,020,538. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

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CHARLES J. COOKE, OF HONGKONG, CHINA.

ADVERTISING-DISPLAY APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Application filed July 29, 1911. Serial No. 641,357.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES J. Cooke, a subject of the King of England, residing at 82 The Peak, Hongkong, China, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising-Display Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to advertising display apparatus, and the object of my invention is to provide a means for automatically throwing upon a screen or other surface certain predetermined characters; together with such elements and combinations as are hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed. I accomplish these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a section along the line A-B on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mirror suspension means with parts broken away.

Similar letters refer to lsimilar parts throughout the several views.

For the purpose of attracting attention at night to a sign or announcement to which publicity is required, illuminated signs 1n which the letters are lighted at intervals or simultaneously and then put out, either together or one by one, have been used.

By my apparatus I throw a spot of light upon a darkened surface and cause the spot of light to travel along the surface in such a manner as to write thereon, by means of the light, the character or announcement which I wish to convey. To do this I use a mirror suitably mounted, upon which I throw loy means of an electric or acetylene, or other lamp a shaft or spot of light. By means of the apparatus for tilting the mirror, I cause the light thus thrown upon it to be reflected lupon the darkened surface in a manner caused by the tilting of the mir ror, and which will appear to the spectator as though there were written on the darkened surface the name or message desired.

In the drawing, the mirror, S, is mounted on a frame, 8, which is provided with a knife edge portion, 11, which engages with V-shaped groove, 12, in the hinged block, T, as shown in Fig. 4. The hinged block, T, is provided on the opposite side from that on which the groove, 12, is formed with the groove, 13, which groove is at right angles to the groove, 12. Fitting Within the groove, 13, is a knife edge in the end of the block, U. By means of this arrangement for mounting the mirror, it is apparent that the mirror may be moved either in a vertical or in a horizontal plane upon the knife edge on the end of the block, U, or upon the knife edge, 11, on the back of the frame. The block, U, is secured to a post, 14, resting upon or made integral with the base, 15, forming the frame of my machine. Attached to one end of the frame of the mirror, when in normal position shown in F 2 at the lower end thereof, is the rod, It, the other end of the rod, It, being attached to the cam lever, I, which cam lever is provided with a slot, 1, is fulcrumed at 5, in the post, 1G, attached to the bed of the machine and which extends above the bed of the machine, slightly curved near the top, and provided at its end with a roller, Z, adapted to engage the cam, H. The cam, H, is mounted ou a shaft, E. The shaft, E, is suitably mounted in connection with the frame of the machine and provided with means, not shown, for applying power for causing a rotation thereof. The rotation of the cam, I-I, will be transmitted through the cam lever, I, to the rod, Ii., which will impart a movement of the mirror, S, in a vertical plane.

For the purpose of moving the mirror, S, in a horizontal plane, I attach the rod, Q, to the mirror frame, as shown in Fig. 1, attaching the end of the rod, Q, to the cam lever, J, which is fulcrumcd at, 4, in the post, 16, and which is formed similar to the cam lever, I, carrying at its end a roller, Y, which engages the cam, G, which cam is mounted on the shaft, E. The rotation of the cam, Gr, will impart motion to the rod, Q, and move the mirror in a horizontal plane. The contour of that portion of the cams. G and H, with which the rollers, Y and Z, of the cam levers engage, is so constructed as to cause the mirror to move in such a manner and to such a degree as to cause a spot of light reflected therefrom to travel along the surface upon which it is reflected in a predetermined manner.

In order to restore the mirror to its normal position after the movement imparted toit by the rods, Q and It, I place the springs, X and W, attached to the post, 14. The spring, X, connected to the rod, V, engages the upper portion of the frame of the mirror, as shown in Fig. 2, and counteracts the action of the rod, R, upon the mirror. The spring, WV, is connected to one end of the rod, l0, Which is attached to the mirror frame, shown in Fig. l, and counteracts the action of the rod, Q, upon said mirror. Thus the vertical and horizontal action upon the mirror by the respective cam levers is counteracted by the said springs.

Sometimes it is desirable to distort the letters so as to make them grotesque or unusual in their appearance. To do this I have provided the levers, M and N, fulcrumed to the post, 17, at 7 and 6, respectively, and connected with a sliding block, C, in slides, l and 2, and the sliding block P, in the slides, 3 and 9, respectively, of the cam levers, I and J. To the lever, M, I attach one end of the eccentric, L, and to the lever, N, one end of the eccentric, K, the said eccentrics being mounted on a shaft, F, which shaft is supplied With means, not shown, for imparting a rotary motion thereto. The rotation of the shaft, F, is very slovtT compared to that of the shaft, E. The arrangement of the levers, M and VN, and their connections with the eccentrics, L and K, is such that the rods, R and Q may move and therefore the action of the cams, G and H, will causevthe mirror to move differently, that is, at a different degree than they Would be moved Were it not for this interruption. The result Would be to elongate, in a vertical or in a horizontal direction, the appearance of the Writing or characters appearing on the screen or darkened surface.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A means for automatically causing a spot of light to travel along a darkened surface in a predetermined manner,'comprising a mirror; a means for mounting said'mirror so that it may be moved in a horizontal and in a vertical plane; a means for causing said mirror to be moved horizontally and vertically, comprising a series of cams; a shaft upon which they are mounted; cam levers engaging said cams; rods connecting said cam levers with said mirror.

2. A device for causing a spot of light to travel in a predetermined manner along a darkened surface, comprising a mirror; a means attached thereto for moving said mirror in a vertical and horizontal plane; a means for causing said attaching means to impart a motion to said mirror, substan tially as described.

8. A device for causing a spot of light to travel in a predetermined manner along a -darkened surface, comprising a reflector; a means for mounting the reflector so that it may move in a horizontal or vertical plane; a series of cams; a shaft upon Which the cams are mounted; a means connected With said reflector operated by said cams for moving the reflector in a horizontal and vertical plane.

4l. In a device for causing a spot of light to travel in a predetermined manner on a darkened surface, a mirror; a means for mounting the mirror so that it may be moved; a series of cams; a shaft for mounting the same; a means connected with said mirror and .operated upon by said cams for moving the mirror.

5. A device for causing a spot of light to travel in a predetermined manner on a darkened surface; a mirror; a means for mounting the same; a means for moving the mirror in a predetermined manner; With a means for interrupting the normal action of said moving means, substantially as described.

6. A means for causing a spot of light to travel in a predetermined manner upon a darkened surface; a mirror provided With a. knife edge projection; a block provided with a groove for said knife edge projection; said block provided with a groove at right angles to said first mentioned groove; a knife edge block fitting in said last mentioncd groove; a means attached to said mirror for moving it in a Vertical and horizontal plane; cams mounted on a shaft; cam levers engaging said cams and said means for moving said mirror; With a means for distorting the normal movement of said levers and mirror operating means.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES J. COOKE.

lVitnesses BEULAH CABLE, FREDERICK IV. CAMERON.

Copies ofl this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

